A ground mounting assembly includes one or a plurality of posts, each attached to at least one stabilizing plate or scoop pyramid. The post may be driven into the ground and then lifted to deploy plates into a locking mechanism, or driven into the ground by a pile driver with plate held in place, released, and driven further and deployed into a locking mechanism, or driven into the ground and double pounded inside the post to drive reinforcing plate into slotted winglets, or driven, double pounded and rotated to extend the reinforcing plates horizontally from the pole or pile. The post also can used as a mooring in harbors, lakes, or at sea. A system based on a double pounder pile driven mono pole, optionally extendable in length, is also described.

Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system comprising a frame, which comprises an outer mast and an inner mast. The outer mast slides along the inner mast. A motor is coupled to the frame. A hydraulic system is coupled to the motor. A jackhammer head is coupled to the outer mast, which outer mast allows the jackhammer head to float up and down on the inner mast as the jackhammer head reciprocates. Thereby vibrations from jackhammer motion substantially do not get transferred to the frame.

Coupled shaft assemblies for a foundation support system include shafts provided with profiled distal end edges that may be directly engaged to one another to realize an interlocking torque transmitting relationship with one another along a curved engagement surface. A coupler sleeve may snugly receive the distal ends of the directly engaged shafts and may fasten the shafts to one another through the coupler sleeve with ease in an economical manufacture that does not require non-uniform wall thickness in the shafts to establish torque transmission capability.

Disclosed is a nesting element for use in a hollow pile. The nesting element is configured to be retained at an opening defined in a wall of the pile. The nesting element comprises a surface that is configured such that, in use, the surface substantially conforms to an internal profile at a transverse cross-section of the pile. Also disclosed are a pile system that employs one or more nesting elements in one or more respective piles, and an installation system for installing the pile system into the ground. Additionally, a method of constructing a retaining wall using the pile system and installation system is disclosed.

Disclosed is a nesting element for use in a hollow pile. The nesting element is configured to be retained at an opening defined in a wall of the pile. The nesting element comprises a surface that is configured such that, in use, the surface substantially conforms to an internal profile at a transverse cross-section of the pile. Also disclosed are a pile system that employs one or more nesting elements in one or more respective piles, and an installation system for installing the pile system into the ground. Additionally, a method of constructing a retaining wall using the pile system and installation system is disclosed.

A system for and method of stabilizing rail track structures using a load transfer apparatus is disclosed. The load transfer apparatus includes a vertical load transfer element and a top load transfer element, wherein the top load transfer element is used to transfer applied locomotive and rail car loads to the vertical load transfer element. In one embodiment, the top load transfer element includes helical flights. In another embodiment, the top load transfer element includes a flared top. In yet another embodiment, the top load transfer element includes a load transfer cap. In a further embodiment, the top load transfer element includes two or more support legs each with a top support attached thereto. The railroad stabilization system can comprise any one type or any combinations of types of the aforementioned load transfer apparatuses.

A system for and method of stabilizing rail track structures using a load transfer apparatus is disclosed. The load transfer apparatus includes a vertical load transfer element and a top load transfer element, wherein the top load transfer element is used to transfer applied locomotive and rail car loads to the vertical load transfer element. In one embodiment, the top load transfer element includes helical flights. In another embodiment, the top load transfer element includes a flared top. In yet another embodiment, the top load transfer element includes a load transfer cap. In a further embodiment, the top load transfer element includes two or more support legs each with a top support attached thereto. The railroad stabilization system can comprise any one type or any combinations of types of the aforementioned load transfer apparatuses.

Extensible shells and related methods for constructing a support pier are disclosed. An extensible shell can define an interior for holding granular construction material and define a first opening at a first end for receiving the granular construction material into the interior and a second opening at a second end. The extensible shell can be flexible such that the shell expands when granular construction material is compacted in the interior of the shell. A method may include positioning the extensible shell in the ground and filling at least a portion of the interior of the shell with the granular construction material. The granular construction material may be compacted in the interior of the extensible shell to form a support pier.

A multifunctional wall clamping device includes a wall-clamping platform, a main body, and a wall-pressing device, wherein the main body has a center hole. The wall-pressing device includes a wall-pressing hydraulic cylinder disposed on an upper support, and a jacking cylinder disposed on a lower support. The wall-clamping platform includes two U-shape pincer boxes with a same geometry and a U-shaped horizontal cross section. The U-shape pincer boxes are arranged with openings facing each other on the same axis to form a combination with a rectangular cross section. A piston rod of the wall-pressing hydraulic cylinder is connected to a top of the wall-clamping platform such that the wall-clamping platform is vertically suspended in the center hole. Outside walls of the wall-clamping platform include roller wheels, which can roll on inner walls of the center hole and inner walls of rectangular columns of the upper support and the lower support.

A helical pier and extension shaft, one end of which is formed with a thickened hexagonally shaped female end coupler using a hot forging process that swedges and compresses the walls of the female coupler into a thickened hexagonal configuration, with subsequent heat treatment to recover and enhance yield and tensile strength to the entire main body section and female end coupler of the helical pier and extension shafts. A corresponding hexagonally shaped male coupler may be milled and inertia friction welded to the opposite end of each extension shaft, or alternatively hot forged and internally upset as an integral homogeneous part of each extension shaft, thereby completing construction of the extension shaft with opposing corresponding male and female hexagonal couplers. The forgoing helical pier has particular benefits in applications requiring deep soil penetration and/or when using a grouted helical pier system.